If you enjoy a little “wind treatment,” having some fantastic music to listen to while riding your motorcycle is a must, as are these five steps to improve the sound of your motorcycle’s audio. Yes, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and Honda tour bikes come with radios and speakers, but so do Toyota and Hyundai vehicles and SUVs. When a wonderful song comes on, they could all use an upgrade or two to make you smile. Let’s have a look at five fantastic upgrades that will improve the sound of your motorcycle audio system.
If you’re a regular reader of Music In Motion, you’re well aware of the importance of high-end speakers in any audio system’s performance. Consider a high-end home audio system with a separate amplifier, preamp, CD transport, and D/A converter. It’s easy to spend $10,000 on this gear, and it’s even easier to spend more than $500,000. When it comes to choosing speakers, you need something fantastic that can accurately transform electrical information into sound.
Speakers of higher grade convert electrical impulses into sound with greater precision than speakers of lower quality. Better speakers have a more consistent frequency response, which makes your music sound more authentic. Finally, high-quality speakers can handle far more power and play considerably louder than a low-cost option. For a motorbike audio improvement, each of these factors is critical.
Another crucial consideration when purchasing new motorbike speakers is whether or not they are developed expressly for the application. Long-term exposure to UV light from the sun can cause the cones and surrounds of some automotive audio speakers to deteriorate prematurely. Similarly, if there’s even a remote chance the speakers will get wet, a solution with built-in weatherproofing and water-resistant materials is required to maintain reliability.
The ARC Audio Moto602V2 speakers have a UV and weather-resistant design that will keep them looking and sounding fantastic for years to come.
Your speakers will require a lot of electricity if you want to play music loudly. The only way to get your music loud enough to drown out wind and exhaust noise is to install a high-power, high-efficiency amplifier on your motorcycle.
When it comes to selecting an amplifier for your motorcycle, size is the most important factor to consider. You’re looking for something that will fit within the front fairing or won’t take up too much room in a saddlebag. Many manufacturers produce small Powersports amplifiers that will fit neatly atop Harley’s factory radio.
The amount of power drawn from the battery, alternator, or stator that is transformed into energy to drive the speakers is referred to as efficiency. The amp will operate cooler and your audio system will be able to play louder without straining the bike’s electrical system with more efficiency. Over 93 percent efficiency is achieved by the greatest motorcycle and Powersports amplifiers on the market. That’s around a 10% improvement over a standard car audio amplifier.
When connected to a 4-ohm load, the Hertz HMP 4D is a small four-channel Powersports amplifier that delivers a whopping 60 watts per channel.
Aside from using high-quality speakers and feeding them clean power from an amplifier, adding more speakers to your motorcycle audio system is a fantastic enhancement. It’s not as simple as removing a panel from a car door, but it’s doable. Handlebar speakers, motorcycle-specific speaker pods that attach to the lower front fairing, and saddlebag lids with options for 6.5-, 8-, or 6-inch speakers are all available from a variety of manufacturers.
Front speaker pods for JL Audio’s 7.7-inch marine speakers and a fiberglass subwoofer enclosure with an 8-inch driver are included in the JL Audio SlamPak for the Can-Am Spyder.
A fantastic source unit is the foundation of every fantastic audio system. No amount of processing or tuning will be able to remove distortion from the original audio source. Motorcycle-specific source units for Harley-Davidson motorcycles from 1998 to 2013 have been manufactured by companies including Rockford Fosgate and Aquatic AV.
For Harley-Davidson motorbikes, the PMX-HD9813 was designed. A color display and Bluetooth audio streaming are included in the radio.
The Sony XAV-AX7000 multimedia receiver is another alternative. This double-DIN radio has been installed into the fairings of several motorcycles by enthusiasts. The front panel and buttons of the radio are weather-resistant. It isn’t waterproof, but it can withstand a light shower. This radio is an excellent choice if you want Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on your bike.
If such a speaker existed, it would have a frequency response that was flat over the whole auditory spectrum. No speaker, in truth, is capable of doing so. Similarly, the location of speakers has a significant impact on their sound quality.
To get the most out of your new motorcycle audio system, make sure it’s set up to maximize each speaker’s output for the location. Crossovers and equalization allow your speakers to focus on the frequency ranges where they operate best, which is why you won’t hear a bass drum or synthesizer riff at 65 mph on the interstate.
Using an equalizer to enhance the response of a motorcycle sound system is crucial, just as it is in a car audio system, a concert venue, or a theater. Multiband equalizers, which may be tuned with a calibrated microphone to create smooth sound, are included in compact digital signal processors, so your music sounds authentic.
Your installer will find it simple to calibrate motorcycle audio systems with the ARC Audio PSM digital signal processor.
Q: Is it possible to improve the sound of my motorcycle’s audio system without spending a lot of money?
A: Yes, upgrading your speakers and adding sound-dampening material are affordable ways to improve the sound of your audio system.
Q: Can I install an amplifier on my own?
A: It’s possible, but we recommend consulting a professional to ensure that the amplifier is installed correctly and safely.
Q: How much of a difference will upgrading my head unit make?
A: Upgrading your head unit can make a significant difference in the quality of your music. Aftermarket head units offer more advanced features and better sound quality than factory-installed units.
There are practically limitless ways to improve the sound quality of your motorcycle’s stereo system. Hopefully, these five steps to improve the sound of your motorcycle’s audio have been helpful. If so, please contact Music In Motion to learn more about the audio enhancements for your motorcycle. Always keep in mind that the quality of the installation and craftsmanship are just as crucial as the materials you select. Make sure you’re working with a merchant who can handle your upgrade with ease.
A high-quality audio system can greatly enhance your riding experience, and with these five steps, you can improve the sound of your motorcycle’s audio system without breaking the bank. Upgrading your speakers, installing an amplifier, adding sound-dampening material, upgrading your head unit, and tuning your audio system are all simple ways to get the most out of your audio system. By following these steps, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite tunes and podcasts with clear, powerful sound while cruising on your motorcycle.
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